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Soviet Navy: Ceremonial and Honour ensigns (1950-1992)

Last modified: 2021-08-26 by rob raeside
Keywords: soviet navy | gvardiâ | order of the military red banner | guards | avrora | ceremonial | star: 5 points (red) | hammer and sickle: no star (red) |
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Guards ensign (1942-1992)

Guards ensign
image by Yosef Obskura, Željko Heimer and Michael Smuda, 15 Apr 1999

Guard naval flag of USSR [i.e. used by vessels with honorary title of "Guard"].
Željko Heimer, 15 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Ensign of Honour (“Ship of the Naval Guard”). The naval ensign with the addition of the Scroll of Honour. This title and special ensign were established in 1943 and are awarded as a mark of honour to a warship which has particularly distinguished itself.
Michael Smuda, 15 Dec 1998, quoting [ped71]


Military Red Banner ensign (1935-1992)

Military Red Banner ensign
image by Yosef Obskura and Željko Heimer, 15 Apr 1999

The Order of the Military Red Banner addorned naval flag of USSR [i.e. used by vessels awarded the Military Red Banner Order].
Željko Heimer, 15 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Red Banner Ensign (1935-1992) — white with red star and sickle-hammer and blue stripe in bottom. There is an Order of Military Red Banner in the centre of the star.Proportions must be 2:3. The Order of Military Red Banner means that the ship flying this ensign is awarded with the Order. In 20 aug 1918 Central Executive Committee adopted first military award of Soviet Russia — Honourable Red Banner (it was a real banner). The Order of Military Red Banner was founded on 16 sept. 1918.
Victor Lomantsov, 18 Mar 2000

I've come across this picture whose caption reads: "Three Soviet naval infantrymen carrying AK-74 assault rifles", the date being 30 October 1985 and the source being the US DoD. I've looked through the Soviet Navy flags and couldn't find a match for that picture, plus in the picture they mentiona Soviet Navy Infantry, so the Soviet Navy hada an Infantry Branch?
Esteban Rivera, 02 May 2012

Yes. Soviet Navy had the Naval Infantry (Marines). See image above.
Victor Lomantsov, 02 May 2012


Military Red Banner Guards ensign (1942-1992)

Military Red Banner Guards ensign image by Yosef Obskura, Željko Heimer and Michael Smuda, 15 Apr 1999

The Order of the Military Red Banner addorned guard naval flag of USSR [used by vessels that gained both honours].
Željko Heimer, 15 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Adopted in 1942.
Victor Lomantsov, 18 Mar 2000


Avrora ensign (1978-1992)

Naval flag of USSR of the cruiser Avrora, with orders.
Željko Heimer, 15 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Avrora ensign was like ensign with two orders: Order of October Revolution in hoist end of the star and Order of Military Red Banner in the fly (the word "military" is important because there is other Order of Labour Red Banner). This flag was adopted in 1978.
Victor Lomantsov, 18 Mar 2000

Military Red Banner Guards ensign image by Zachary Harden, 20 July 2016

Krystof Huk recently went to St. Petersburg to where she is docked and took a photo of the ensign she has on the stern. It is the same two battle honors, Order of Military Red Banner and the Order of the October Revolution (which, this ship is a central part of the design), displayed in the center of the Russian Naval Ensign. I noticed that compared to the Soviet and current ensigns, the positions of the battle honors are not only switched, the order of display also switched. In the Soviet Ensign, the Order of October Revolution is at the hoist end of the red star and Order of Military Red Banner is on the opposite side.
Zachary Harden, 20 July 2016


Ceremonial flag of the Naval Fleet

Ceremonial flag of the Naval Fleet.
Željko Heimer, 26 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Red flag with naval ensign in the middle, golden inscription in top (inscription on the flag too small to read).
Željko Heimer, 26 Apr 1999


Ceremonial guard flag of the Naval Fleet

Ceremonial flag of the Naval Fleet.
Željko Heimer, 26 Apr 1999, quoting from Flag-znamya korablya, 07 Mar 1999

Red flag with Guards naval ensign in the middle, golden inscription in base (inscription on the flag too small to read).
Željko Heimer, 26 Apr 1999


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